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Global Sales Force Selection Strategies

This chapter discusses the importance of selecting the global sales force and outlines the hiring process. It identifies four key steps: determining required skills, attracting applicants, conducting interviews to assess qualifications, and making an offer. The chapter also examines factors that contribute to sales success like skills, role perceptions, and motivation. It provides guidance on generating applicants, selection procedures like applications and testing, and making the final job offer. The overall process aims to increase the probability of hiring the right salesperson.

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18 views19 pages

Global Sales Force Selection Strategies

This chapter discusses the importance of selecting the global sales force and outlines the hiring process. It identifies four key steps: determining required skills, attracting applicants, conducting interviews to assess qualifications, and making an offer. The chapter also examines factors that contribute to sales success like skills, role perceptions, and motivation. It provides guidance on generating applicants, selection procedures like applications and testing, and making the final job offer. The overall process aims to increase the probability of hiring the right salesperson.

Uploaded by

simply_coool
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Chapter 7

Selecting the Global Sales


Force Sales Management:
A Global Perspective
Introduction

 Sales force selection one of most important


decisions made by sales manager
 Operate independently, at great distances, in
culturally distinct situations
 Essential to hire highly skilled & competent
salespersons
Hiring Process

 Hiring process consists of four steps:


 Determining the skills, knowledge and attitudes
required for the open position
 Attracting sufficient applicants
 Conducting an interview process that accurately
assesses applicant qualifications
 Making an offer to one or more applicants
Importance of Selection

 Poor selection decisions lead to turnover


 Costs are staggering
 Total costs include generating applicants,
screening the applications, interviewing and
assessing applicants, training, salary, and
foregone costs of lost sales
 This can equal 150% of annual salary
 Formalized selection process necessary
Global Sales Force
Decisions
 Expatriates – salespersons or managers
transferred from the home country
 Technical expertise and a seasoned
understanding of the company
 Local Nationals – personnel from the
country of operations
 Understand local markets and
culture/language
 Third-country – salespersons or managers
that work for a global firm in a third country
 Global citizens with cross-cultural expertise
Characteristics of Success

 MNCs use educational levels, interview skills,


and previous experience to gauge successful
candidates (Randall & Randall 1990)
 Interviews can lack reliabilty
 Must identify needed skills and expertise
 Essential to prepare for and conduct a formal
interview
Characteristics of Success

 Aptitude – intelligence, verbal ability


 Personal Characteristics – self-esteem, need for
dominance, sociability, power
 Skill levels – presentation, vocation,
management
 Role perceptions – understand expectations of
firm and customer
 Motivation – devoting necessary time
 Organizational/Environmental factors – firm
prestige or reputation
Meta-Analysis

 In a landmark study, a meta-analysis was


conducted of all previous studies (Churchill, Walker,
Hartley and Walker 1985)
 No one area significantly contributed to
success; however:
 Skill levels and role perceptions appeared to be
most responsible for success
 Areas sales managers can influence
Identifying Successful
Characteristics
 Job Analysis – determines how salespersons
currently spend time and how ideally they
should devote time
 Job Description – describes what
salesperson will be required to do
 Job analysis used to write job description and
job description used to find correct applicants
Generating Applicants
 Internal Applicants – known, observed, and
acculturated (e.g. engineers, manufacturing)
 External Applicants
 Advertisements
 Employment agencies
 Educational institutions
 Job Fairs/Career Conferences
 E-Recruiting
 Creative External Applicants Sources
 Military veterans, 400 applicants in Hong Kong
Selection Procedures
 A Five-Step Process:
 Application Forms
 Tests
 Personal Interview
 References
 Physical Exam
 Steps examine different applicant areas and
should be consistent and supportive
Application Form

 Standardized form
 Provides consistent information about all
applicants
 Applicant must read and follow instructions
 Information can be used by managers to plan
interview
Tests

 Used as a confirmatory input to the interview


process
 Personality tests used to evaluate traits
 Intelligence tests to assess mental abilities
 Aptitude tests to measure interest or ability to
perform
 Tests must be valid and predict success
Personal Interview
 Most important step of hiring process
 Applicant must respond to questions and interact
with interviewer
 US applicants try to sell themselves
 Not the case in other cultures
 Three types of interviews
 Structured, Unstructured and Stress
 Each has advantages and disadvantages
References

 How has applicant performed in the past?


 Speak to former employers
 Check facts of employment
 Applicants primarily list references who will
provide positive remarks
 When permitted, ask references for other names
 Check with clients, former employers, business
associates, and financial references
Physical Exam

 Selling is hard work


 Travel in diverse settings and time zones
 Must be healthy and capable of performing
 Physical defects could negate job offer
 This is not legal in all nations, so sales
manager must seek legal guidance when
hiring
Making the Job Offer

 Once all applicants have been interviewed,


they should be ranked
 Contact the best qualified and see if they are
still interested—if so offer job
 Give applicant a specified period to accept
 Send a confirmatory letter for the applicant to
sign and return by the deadline
Chapter Summary
 Selection is very important for the firm
 Sales manager must determine qualifications
 Attract a sufficient pool of applicants
 Interview and select the “best qualified”
 Make the job offer
 Chapter provides manager with guidance
 Following process increases probability of hiring
the correct salesperson
Discussion Questions
 What are the advantages and disadvantages
of hiring expatriate, local, and third-country
salespersons?
 What is the relationship between a job
analysis and a job description?
 Why is the personal interview often called the
most important step in the hiring process?

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